First time in Saudi

1. There are banks at the basement of the airport along with the restaurant or food chain, so you can check with them to exchange your dollars into Saudi riyals.
2. For data Sim card, there is also a booth of STC at the basement. It will costs you like 25 riyals.

Good luck! And welcome to     KSA!

seeker of truth wrote:

1. There are banks at the basement of the airport along with the restaurant or food chain, so you can check with them to exchange your dollars into Saudi riyals.
2. For data Sim card, there is also a booth of STC at the basement. It will costs you like 25 riyals.

Good luck! And welcome to     KSA!

Thanks SOT, Just wanted to be sure if Data Simcard be valid for local calls/international calls etc

Ravish wrote:

seeker of truth wrote:

1. There are banks at the basement of the airport along with the restaurant or food chain, so you can check with them to exchange your dollars into Saudi riyals.
2. For data Sim card, there is also a booth of STC at the basement. It will costs you like 25 riyals.

Good luck! And welcome to     KSA!

Thanks SOT, Just wanted to be sure if Data Simcard be valid for local calls/international calls etc

Just a word of caution if your flight is late evening most of what has been said is incorrect as the banks and the STC shop will be closed! Any thing past 16:00 local time you may have a problem!

Martin Fin wrote:

Ravish wrote:

seeker of truth wrote:

1. There are banks at the basement of the airport along with the restaurant or food chain, so you can check with them to exchange your dollars into Saudi riyals.
2. For data Sim card, there is also a booth of STC at the basement. It will costs you like 25 riyals.

Good luck! And welcome to     KSA!

Thanks SOT, Just wanted to be sure if Data Simcard be valid for local calls/international calls etc

Just a word of caution if your flight is late evening most of what has been said is incorrect as the banks and the STC shop will be closed! Any thing past 16:00 local time you may have a problem!

Thanks Martin, I will be reaching past 2200 local time and possibly more than a hour at customs so I am talking about some time mid night .I guess the same is valid for the Murabba region.
I can manage the exchange of currency in India probably but Sim card probably have to wait for the next day. Are not there any 24hrs shops?

I have not seen any phone card shops open late but I have not been looking when I have come in late. My main focus is to either get to the car or look for the person collecting me. The other issue it that with Ramadan times of opening are all different at the moment.

FYI! During Ramadan, most establishments open at 9:00pm and close at 2:00am. So once you arrive, check at the basements if those booth are still open.

About the data simcard, tell them specifically the type of Simcard that you need because I got a data simcard which cannot be use for calls. I'm just using it for internet purposes.

Thanks SOT. One more thing if you can help me out, What is the minimum fare for cabs for short distance of 1-2 kms?

Ravish wrote:

Thanks SOT. One more thing if you can help me out, What is the minimum fare for cabs for short distance of 1-2 kms?

There are no fixed fares for the cabs. However, you will be charged a minimum of 10SAR for small distances !!

Ravish wrote:

Thanks SOT. One more thing if you can help me out, What is the minimum fare for cabs for short distance of 1-2 kms?

If you have time and if it's not that hot, you can walk, consider it an exercise, lol. But basically as Saimans said, 10SR would be a start. Taxi fares here depends on your negotiating skills.

Really??? That's expensive
I remember my colleague was paying for just 5 sr for short distances.

things will be good brother .

seeker of truth wrote:

I remember my colleague was paying for just 5 sr for short distances.

Your colleague is really lucky !!

Hitch wrote:

things will be good brother .

Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.

How much will it cost to travel by taxi from Riyadh airport to city (King Fahd Medical City).

RehabDoctor wrote:

How much will it cost to travel by taxi from Riyadh airport to city (King Fahd Medical City).

You can take London taxi, it would be around 90riyals.
Good luck!

seeker of truth wrote:

RehabDoctor wrote:

How much will it cost to travel by taxi from Riyadh airport to city (King Fahd Medical City).

You can take London taxi, it would be around 90riyals.
Good luck!

Thanks @seeker of truth

we cant be that accurate no one can !!? it can cost a 30 to 40 USD . it can be less or more . welcome a bored i hope enjoy it here.

RehabDoctor wrote:

How much will it cost to travel by taxi from Riyadh airport to city (King Fahd Medical City).

In the Range of 30-40 SAR !! Depends on your haggling skills...

Hitch wrote:

it can cost a 30 to 40 USD .

Noways this much !!

i paid like a 100 SAR , last time so im truly not sure .

Not good at haggling, will try for a good deal. Thanks @saimans & @Hitch

Hitch wrote:

i paid like a 100 SAR , last time so im truly not sure .

Develop your haggling skills, I have never paid more than 40 SAR, can be reduced if you do sharing !!

nah , its okay . thanks anyway .

RehabDoctor wrote:

Not good at haggling, will try for a good deal.

End of the day its your money. Develop this habit, Believe me it would be really helpful in KSA

I live near the DQ.  It's 50SAR to the airport.

Alliecat wrote:

I live near the DQ.  It's 50SAR to the airport.

Thanks @Alliecat, I presume it will be same fare either to or from airport.

RehabDoctor wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

I live near the DQ.  It's 50SAR to the airport.

Thanks @Alliecat, I presume it will be same fare either to or from airport.

Well they've got you by the 'short hairs' at the airport so it might be a bit more but haggle and avoid the London Cabs, if possible--they charge TWICE as much as anybody else!!  See if you can't flag down a 'regular' cab that has just dropped somebody off.

Alliecat has given you perfect advise. look for the can who's just dropped someone and I think they will charhe you about 70-80 riyals.
However, some might ask you for 120-130. Taxis are safe here so don't worry but non-acceptance of english by the cabbies can be the problem. If you can speak hindi, ask any bangladeshi porter to negociate the fare for you in Arabic.
And all will be good.

pkmusd wrote:

Alliecat has given you perfect advise. look for the can who's just dropped someone and I think they will charhe you about 70-80 riyals.
However, some might ask you for 120-130. Taxis are safe here so don't worry but non-acceptance of english by the cabbies can be the problem. If you can speak hindi, ask any bangladeshi porter to negociate the fare for you in Arabic.
And all will be good.

Thanks @pkmusd

also, for sim do not worry.
Incase kiosk is clsoed at the airport, ask the cabbie and he will stop at some mobily outself for you to get sim
Buy mobily

pkmusd wrote:

Buy mobily

Are you an endorser of Mobily?
How much did they offer you?

pkmusd wrote:

also, for sim do not worry.
Incase kiosk is clsoed at the airport, ask the cabbie and he will stop at some mobily outself for you to get sim
Buy mobily

What is difference between Mobily, stc and Zain. Which one will work better in King Fahd medical city area.

RehabDoctor wrote:

pkmusd wrote:

also, for sim do not worry.
Incase kiosk is clsoed at the airport, ask the cabbie and he will stop at some mobily outself for you to get sim
Buy mobily

What is difference between Mobily, stc and Zain. Which one will work better in King Fahd medical city area.

Calls
Mobily: deduct credit not until your call has been answered on the other side.
STC: deduct credit even your call is not answered.especially if you are making an international call.
Zain: coverage area is limited. But they have some freebies!

Internet:
Mobily:    Slow internet connection!
STC: fast internet connection!
Zain: coverage area is limited. No idea about its capacity.

Thanks @ seeker of truth

Go for mobily

pkmusd wrote:

Go for mobily

Mobile

I guess you are really a mobily Endorser! How much did they pay you?

pkmusd wrote:

Go for mobily

Mobily for Internet is PATHETIC !!

Here we go!

Saimans may b in your area. For me it works jus perfect with 3G on
Zain has poor network and STC is complicated less user firndly and no msgs in english unlikely mobily